You Have to Choose to Change

Current Teaching Series Life's Healing Choices

You Have to Choose to Change Rick Warren — August 14, 2018 "Throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception" (Ephesians 4:22 NLT). Change requires making choices. It's not enough to dream of changing. It's not enough to desire change. In order for you to change, you will need to make a decision. You must choose to change. Change is intentional. Are you going to be any different in six months? Are you going to be better a year from now? Are you going to be healthier, stronger, and more mature? Are you going to be happier? Are you going to be less in debt? Are you going to be more like God wants you to be? I can tell you the answer right now: It will only happen if you choose to change, because it isn't going to happen accidentally. It requires a choice. A lot of times we think we're waiting on God to change us. No! God is waiting on you. He's waiting on you to say, "Yes, Lord, I'm willing to make these changes." We have to make intentional choices in order to grow. There is no growth without change, there is no change without loss, and there is no loss without pain. If you are going to grow, you will have to change, and change means you let go of some old things in order to grab hold of some new things. It's like swinging on a trapeze. The trapeze artist swings out on one bar and then has to reach out and grab the other one. At some point, he's got to let go of one to grab on to the other, or he's not going to make it to the other side. If he thinks he can hold on to both, what happens? He gets stuck in the middle, and he's going to fall. Some of you are stuck in the middle, and you're falling because you haven't let go of the old patterns, the old habits, and the old ways of thinking. You have to let go of your old ways. The Bible says, "Throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life" (Ephesians 4:22 NLT). In other words, let it go. Those old habits, those old hurts, those old patterns, those old sins in your life — let them go. The Bible says to throw them off and trust that God is working in you "to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose" (Philippians 2:13 NIV). PLAY today's audio teaching from Pastor Rick >> Talk About It What change have you been waiting on God to make in you? What do you think your responsibility is to make that change happen? How is accountability with other believers helpful in making the choice to change and then following through on it? What do you need to do once you make the choice to change? What steps will help you move forward?

Our Gift: Life's Healing Choices Study Kit No one is perfect. We live in an imperfect world. We hurt ourselves. And we hurt others. Overcoming hurts, hang-ups, and bad habits isn't easy. Some people carry the pain with them for years, even forever. Pastor Rick Warren shares eight sessions in this video study and workbook that will lead you step-by-step through the recovery and self-discovery process. This biblically-based, practical process will help you confront, overcome and heal from your hurts, hang-ups and habits. You'll find out how to . . . • Get help • Let go • Repair relationships LEARN MORE

Complete Audio Series (Purchase) Includes 10 full-length teaching CDs from Pastor Rick's series Life's Healing Choices. LEARN MORE

Series Summary Session 1: The Reality Choice Session 2: The Hope You Need for Change Session 3: Letting Go and Letting God Session 4: The Housecleaning Choice Session 5: The Transformation Choice Session 6: The Relationship Choice Session 7: The Growth Choice Session 8: The Sharing Choice Session 9: Breaking Free from Abuse Session 10: There's No Recovery without Prayer PLAY TODAY'S BROADCAST

Pastor Rick Warren

Enjoy today's Devotional? Listen instantly to the full radio message at Daily Hope Radio. Did someone forward this devotional to you? Subscribe to Pastor Rick Warren's Daily Devotional. This devotional is based on the current Daily Hope radio series at pastorrick.com. Rick Warren has helped people live with hope and on purpose for more than 40 years. He's the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Southern California and author of several books, including The Purpose Driven Church and The Purpose Driven Life, which has been translated into 137 languages and sold more than 50 million copies in all formats. He created the PEACE Plan (plant churches of reconciliation, equip servant leaders, assist the poor, care for the sick, educate the next generation), which is used by churches in 196 countries. His radio teaching and daily devotional, Daily Hope, is offered around the world. This devotional © 2018 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission. You can unsubscribe at any time by changing your e-mail preferences. Update your preferences | Unsubscribe